Sandra's Baby Cover: Most Profitable PEOPLE Ever?

It's no surprise that PEOPLE magazine's shocking Sandra Bullock baby cover was a huge seller, but it hasn't yet replaced the magazine's biggest-selling baby exclusive ever -- the August 2008 issue featuring exclusive photos of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's newborn twins, Knox Leon and Vivienne. However, Sandra's big bombshell may have been the most profitable cover in the magazine's history. Find out why after the jump!

"Sandra's cover has been on newsstands for a week and it has already sold over 2.7 million copies," a magazine insider told me, citing early sales estimates for the issue. "That's only 100,000 less than the 2.8 million copies the magazine sold when Angelina's twins graced the cover -- and a half-million more copies than the June 2006 issue with exclusive baby pictures of Brad and Angelina's first daughter, Shiloh, which moved 2.2 million newsstand copies."

It may be surprising that Jolie and Pitt's twins outsold their first child, but you know the saying: Two is better than one ... especially when it's pictures of babies. However, Sandra didn't just reveal a baby in her big splash -- she also announced she was divorcing Jesse James after his sex scandal. The double-punch made folks run to the newsstand.

What's perhaps more interesting is that Sandra did not sell these pictures to the magazine (Brad and Angelina did, but gave all of the money to charity), which could make it one of the most profitable issues of all time -- even if it's not the best-selling.

The death of Michael Jackson sent millions flocking to the newsstand to pick up PEOPLE magazine, but six other issues outsold the King of Pop's memorial issue. See what they were >>>

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PEOPLEs Biggest Covers

Baby news on magazine covers are a big business. While I was at OK! magazine, we had the biggest-selling issue in the publication's history: Jamie Lynn Spears' pregnancy. The combination of the baby and how surprising it was made it a must-buy.

Celebrity baby reveals are huge sellers because it's one of the most intimate moments of anyone's life. We feel closer to the stars we love when we're seeing their babies.

Sadly, the only thing that sells better than birth for magazines is death. The top three PEOPLE issues of all time are death related, with their 9/11 edition tragically being the best-selling issue of all time, netting 4.1 million copies sold. The second-biggest issue was coverage of Princess Diana's death, selling 3 million copies, and third is the death of John F. Kennedy Jr., where 2.8 million copies flew off the shelves. Numbers 4-6 are all babies (Jolie twins, Sandra, baby Shiloh) and the seventh biggest issue returns to the morbid -- Michael Jackson's death.

1. her baby is not from another country he is from louisianna and 2. she planned on adopting this beautiful little bundle WITH her cheating husband long before the affair. so to sit here and judge her for bringing a baby into a messed up world, you should learn the facts and btw... this little baby will have more care, success, love and happiness than most of us.

Why do you care??? You dont have a vested interest in what RACE the child is! You dont have to feed, cloth, or love them, THANK GOD! As long as there's 1 LESS child who needs a loving home, BLACK OR WHITE, who care!

I couldn't care less about Sandra Bullock. My friends and I bought 3 copies each just for Adam Lambert's picture in the magazine!! You should know by now that Adam sells - just look at his Rolling Stone cover !!! Sandra Bullock - really - let's get real!!!

No, A. West, YOU are the "downfall" of America... in so many different ways that I can't begin to enumerate.

As for your question: You think "white women crave blacks"? D'UHHHHH. In this country, there are any number of people of all races, genders, etc. One hardly needs to adopt for your reason.

All you racial critics apparently can't think too well and need a course in Logic 101. The reason many white people adopt black babies is because THERE ARE A GAZILLION BLACK BABIES WITHOUT PARENTS (ORPHANS)!!!!! Hello?

So, according to your skewed reasoning, all those innocents, the black babies (and older kiddos) should NOT be adopted by white folks and SHOULD REMAIN ORPHANS IN an antiquated system in which most kids (any race) are abused for years by "foster parents," many of whom just "collect" the kids to COLLECT THE MONEY.

URCRAZY-It's always funny when a stupid person tries to criticize other stupid people. It's sad when an ignorant racist thinks they can criticize other ignorant racists.There are not "GAZILLIONS of black orphans"- you moron! In America, sadly, most black kids are FATHERLESS and many are raised by extended family. But there are still more WHITE kids without parents than black ( by sheer number, not percentages per population). THERE ARE FEW HEALTHY WHITE INFANTS!!! But orphaned white kids age 2-18 years old OR with physical or mental disabilities FAR outnumber blac kids- because WHITES far outnumber blacks!Gawd, racists like you always shock me! You love to go after people who don't share your type of racist attitudes. As if it makes you better. Who is more racist?1) The white person who says "Don't adopt black babies!" or2) The white person who says "Adopt black babies! They're the only kids available....If whites don't take care of them NO ONE will!"Shut up.